SKEEN'S RETURN

© JODY A. LEE

Book by Jo Clayton.
FW inks, graphite, acrylics, pastels, 6/87, 28"x20", signed on lock to the right of face.

This jewel-like painting was for the second book in a trilogy about Skeen, a space trader, smuggler, and purveyor of ancient handmade artifacts, who was struggling to get out of a technologically backward (should I say challenged?) alternate universe. So she was impatiently having to deal with sailing ships, sea monsters, and all kinds of fantastical characters in her quest to open the gate back to her own world.

I was deeply in love with modern jewelry at the time I created this painting, and some incredible cloisonné pins I had seen inspired the design of the center color panel. Because Skeen was trapped in this world, even though it was crammed with the kind of non-space age ephemera she traded in, I surrounded her in a collage of old fashioned locks and chains.

There is a wealth of beautiful details, like the crystal carved lock that comes out of the panel, and the chain links shaped like snakes. David Bowie was my model for the cunning survivor Skeen. This is one of those very early paintings were I did the type as part of the finished art, so the title and author's name looks like a cut silver plate, inspired by the Arts & Crafts look. Oh yes, there's a lot of work here, and this painting is available already framed.